Apparatus for practicing golf putting

ABSTRACT

An attachment device for attaching to a golf putter to practice golf putting with the combined the golf putter, comprises a body member formed of a rigid material, the body member including a generally planar first surface for contacting against a vertical front surface of a head of a golf putter, and a second surface extending from the first surface and having a narrow area designed for hitting a golf ball for putting; and an attaching member including an elastic band, the attaching member configured and dimensioned to attach the body member to the head of the golf putter with the elastic band.

This application claims priority of Korean Patent Application No. 20-2004-0035861 filed on Dec. 17, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for practicing or training the golf putting, and more particularly, to an attachment which is designed to be readily attached to golf putters for practicing the golf putting using the golf putters.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The applicant of this invention has invented several devices for practicing golf putting, which are useful for improving the putting skills of golfers. For example, a golf putting practice device as disclosed in Korean Utility Model No. 0339077 of this applicant, issued on Jan. 9, 2004, provides an attachment for golf putters, which includes an horizontally extending body portion, a hitting portion and a supporting portion spaced apart to each other and respectively extending in perpendicular direction to the horizontal body portion. In this device, a bolt is inserted into a bolt hole provided in the supporting portion of the attachment for attaching the device to the club head of a golf putter. This attachment structure for golf putters calls for a relatively complicated construction requiring a high manufacturing cost, and the outer appearance of the device is not appealing to the general golfers.

For another example, a golf putting practice device as disclosed in Korean Utility Model No. 0355639 of this same applicant, issued on Jun. 30, 2004, provides another attachment device for golf putters, which includes a horizontal body portion, and a hitting portion extending perpendicularly from the horizontal body portion. In this device, a bolt is inserted into a bolt hole provided in the club head of a golf putter via a corresponding opening in the horizontal body supporting portion of the attachment in order to attach the device to the golf putter. This device has a relatively simple structure. However, the golf putters need to be modified to include the attachment structure, such as the bolt hole formed in the golf putter for fixing the bolt of the attachment device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for practicing and training golf putting, in which an attachment of relatively simple structure can be easily and conveniently attached to golf putters, without modifying the structure of existing golf putters.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an attachment for attaching to a golf putter comprises: a body member formed of a rigid material, the body member including a generally planar first surface for contacting against a vertical front surface of a head of a golf putter, and a second surface extending from the first surface and having a narrow area designed for hitting a golf ball for putting; and an attaching member including an elastic band, the attaching member configured and dimensioned to attach the body member to the head of the golf putter with the elastic band.

The body member preferably includes a vertical slot formed adjacent to and parallel to the planar first surface for receiving the attaching member in the slot in order to attach the body member to the head of the golf putter.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a combination of a golf putter and an attachment for practicing golf putting, comprises: a golf putter including a head and an elongate shaft extending from the head, the head of the golf putter having a hitting surface designed for hitting a golf ball with the hitting surface; and an attachment for attaching to a golf putter, the attachment including a body member formed of a rigid material, the body member having a generally planar first surface for contacting against the hitting surface of the head of the golf putter, and a second surface extending from the first surface and having a narrow area designed for hitting a golf ball for putting practice; the attachment further including an elastic attaching member configured and dimensioned to attach the body member to the head of the golf putter for practicing putting with the attachment of the golf putter. The body member is configured to attach to the head of the golf putter with the narrow hitting area aligned to a suitable hitting area of the head of the golf putter.

The above disclosed and other features, aspects, and objectives of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detail description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one preferred embodiment of the attachment device of the invention before attaching to the head of a golf putter.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the attachment device of FIG. 1 after attaching to the head of a golf putter for practicing golf putting drills.

FIG. 3 is a partially cross-section view of the attachment device of FIG. 2 after attaching to the head of a golf putter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-3 show one preferred embodiment of the attachment device for golf putters, constructed in accordance with the concepts and principles of the present invention. Referring to the drawing figures, the attachment device of the invention consists generally of a body member 1 and an attaching member 3 configured to readily attach the attachment to the head 2 of a golf putter of known kinds.

The body member 1 is formed of a rigid material, such as metal, light-weight metal, alloy, or a synthetic or plastic material, preferably with a light weight in order not to substantially increase the overall weight of the head 2 of the gold putter after attaching thereto. The body member 1 has a generally conical or semi-circular shape having a first surface 1B, which is planar for abutting against the vertically arranged front face of the head 2 of the golf putter, and a second surface extending outwardly from the side edges of the first surface 1B, which defines a narrow area 1C designed for hitting a golf ball with the narrow area 1C for practicing golf putting. The body member preferably includes top and bottom planar surfaces, with a height between the surfaces equal to or a little smaller than the height of the golf putter head 2. In the drawings, the body member is shown to have a generally conical shape. However, the shape is not limited thereto, and it is applicable to any suitable shape configured to have a generally flat abutting surface 1B for contacting with the vertical surface of the head 2 and a narrow hitting surface 1C generally at the central location extending from the flat surface 1B. Thus, the hitting surface 1C can have a narrow planar area, an arcuate area, or the like.

The body member 1 further includes a vertical slot 1A formed generally vertically adjacent to the first surface 1B of the body member, as shown in FIG. 3. Within this slot 1A, the attaching member 3 is installed for attaching the body member 1 of the attachment device to the head 2 of the golf putter. The attaching member 3 is typically formed with a wide elastic band of ring shape, having a width to fit within the slot 1A of the body member. The attaching member 3 can be formed of elastic rubber and may optionally include a fabric material therein to enhance the mechanical strength of the member. In addition, the attaching member 3 may include an attachment portion 3A (shown in FIG. 3), either connecting the ends of the attaching member permanently together or in form of Velcro or other known means for detachably connecting the ends together. When using such a Velcro type connecting member, golfers can attach the attachment member to the golf putter head 2 more easily while stretching the two ends of the elastic band 3.

The attachment member may further include at least one alignment line 5, preferably on the top surface of the body member 1 and aligned with the narrow hitting area 1C of the body member 1 as shown in FIG. 2. This alignment line 1 indicates the precise hitting point of the hitting area 1C. The alignment line 1 of the body member is preferably for also aligning with corresponding alignment line 2A (FIG. 1) typically provided in the head of the golf putters commercially available. In order to facilitate aligning the two alignment lines to each other, at least the portion of the attaching member 3 covering the area of the alignment line 2A of the head 2 can preferable be formed with a transparent material, such as a transparent rubber band, which enables to look through the material to locate the alignment line 2A of the golf putter head 2.

Referring to FIG. 2, in particular, golfers can easily and quickly install the attachment device of the invention to the head 2 of commercial available golf putters using the elastic attaching member 3 as described above. Utilizing the attachment device of the putter, golfers can practice to hit a golf ball 4 on the precise hitting point (i.e., hitting area 1C) of the body member 1. When the golfer swings and hits the ball 4 precisely on the narrow hitting area 1C, the ball 4 proceeds in a correct direction as hit. However, when the golfer hits the ball 4 with an area beside the narrow hitting area 1C, the ball 4 proceeds in an incorrect direction out of the target. Thus, the golfer can immediately recognize that his swing is misaligned and correct his swing, thus enabling an effective golf putting practice to regularly hit the ball on the precise hitting area of the golf putters.

While this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form, structures, methods, mechanisms and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 

1. An attachment for attaching to a golf putter, comprising: a body member formed of a rigid material, the body member including a generally planar first surface for contacting against a vertical front surface of a head of a golf putter, and a second surface extending from the first surface and having a narrow area designed for hitting a golf ball for putting; and an attaching member including an elastic band, the attaching member configured and dimensioned to attach the body member to the head of the golf putter with the elastic band.
 2. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the second surface of the body member defines a narrow tip area extending conically from the first surface and designed for hitting the golf ball at the narrow tip area.
 3. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the second surface of the body member defines an arcuate area extending laterally from the first surface and designed for hitting the golf ball at the arcuate area.
 4. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the body member is configured to attach to the head of the golf putter with the narrow hitting area aligned to a suitable hitting area of the head of the golf putter.
 5. The attachment of claim 4, wherein the body member includes an aligning line on an upper surface of the body member configured to align to the suitable hitting area of the head of the golf putter.
 6. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the body member includes a vertical slot formed adjacent to and parallel to the planar first surface for receiving the attaching member in the slot in order to attach the body member to the head of the golf putter.
 7. A combination of a golf putter and an attachment for practicing golf putting, comprising: a golf putter including a head and an elongate shaft extending from the head, the head of the golf putter having a hitting surface designed for hitting a golf ball with the hitting surface; and an attachment for attaching to a golf putter, the attachment including a body member formed of a rigid material, the body member having a generally planar first surface for contacting against the hitting surface of the head of the golf putter, and a second surface extending from the first surface and having a narrow area designed for hitting a golf ball for putting practice; the attachment further including an elastic attaching member configured and dimensioned to attach the body member to the head of the golf putter for practicing putting with the attachment of the golf putter. 